As promised I participated in International Rock Flipping Day (IRFD) today.

Yesterday I tried to get a head start by flipping a few rocks in a stream in Schenley Park but there was nothing under them except smaller rocks.  Today in Butler County I turned over a big rock in Portersville.  Nothing but dead leaves underneath.

Back home at Schenley Park I hunted for a likely candidate and finally found a winner, the rock pictured above.  There was an earthworm and a millipede underneath but you can’t see them in my lousy cell phone photo.  They were trying to burrow underground but it’s drought-y here so the ground is too dry for them.

The biggest thing I learned is that southwestern Pennsylvania is just not a rocky place.  I had no trouble finding rocks everywhere when I was in Maine early this month but around here the only real rocks we have are those used in landscaping.  I think we have to import them.

No wonder I came up with nothing.  Sort of.

For more IRFD results see Wanderin’ Weeta’s blog.

p.s.  IRFD rules include putting the rock back the way you found it without harming what’s underneath – which I did, though not pictured here.

(photos from my cell phone)

p.p.s.  Look how many bloggers participated in International Rock Flipping Day!

• The Natural Capital
• Fertanish Chatter
• Roundrock Journal
• Just Playin’ Around
• What It’s like on the Inside
• KrisAbel
• BugSafari
• Sofia_Alexandra
• Growing with Science
• ChickenSpaghetti
• NaturalNotes
• Yips and Howls
• Rock, Paper, Lizard
• Outside My Window
• The dog geek
• Dave Ingram’s Natural History Blog
• via negativa
• Unplug Your Kids
• ORCA: Observar, Recordar, Crecer y Aprender
• Will Rees Fine Woodworking …
• The Marvelous in Nature
• Ontario Wanderer
• Bare Baby Feet
• The Homefront Lines
• Crazy Maize World
• Dr. Omed’s Tent Show Revival
• Wanderin’ Weeta